Question 42

The force that blood exerts on arterial walls is known as blood pressure and is measured as a ratio of the systolic pressure or “high peak” over the diastolic pressure or “low peak.”

Blood pressure is defined as the force that blood exerts on arterial walls, and it is expressed as a ratio of systolic to diastolic pressure. This summary encapsulates the essential information from the passage regarding the definition and measurement of blood pressure.

A) The heart pumps roughly 70 mL of blood by rapidly contracting and extending the chamber doors of the heart. Disease and age affect the pressure of blood on arterial walls.

While this option mentions the heart's action and the impact of age or disease on blood pressure, it does not effectively summarize the core concept of blood pressure measurement as presented in the passage. It focuses more on the physiological aspects rather than the definition and ratio of blood pressure.

B) The brachial artery of the arm is usually used to take blood pressure, although the pressure is different in different parts of the body.

Although this option provides information about where blood pressure is typically measured, it fails to summarize the primary focus of the passage, which is the definition and ratio of blood pressure. It lacks the crucial details about systolic and diastolic pressure.

C) The measurement of the ratio of systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure is known as blood pressure.

This option correctly identifies the measurement aspect of blood pressure, but it does not encompass the full definition of blood pressure as a force exerted on arterial walls. Therefore, it is incomplete as a summary of the passage.

D) The force that blood exerts on arterial walls is known as blood pressure and is measured as a ratio of the systolic pressure or “high peak” over the diastolic pressure or “low peak.”

This option provides the most comprehensive summary of the passage, accurately stating both the definition of blood pressure and how it is measured. It captures the essence of the information presented in the extract.

Conclusion

Option D is definitively the best summary as it encapsulates both the definition of blood pressure and the method of its measurement, which is the core focus of the passage. Other options either miss key elements or focus on less relevant aspects of the topic, making them inadequate as summaries.